I'm
slightly confused whether to use the preposition at before
home or not. I've read the following sentence recently: I
am likely to be late home this evening. But as a rule in this
situation we use the preposition at before home. Is
the above sentence wrong?

Roger
Woodham replies:

Home
/ at home

Your sentence is fine, Ilham. Home in your example is behaving
like an adverb expressing direction. We do not need a preposition
with home when it is used with any verb referring to direction:

I shall be arriving / going / coming / leaving home
late this evening.

Note that most verbs expressing direction require the preposition
to before the noun, but not home. Compare the following:

I made my way to the mosque before sunrise.

I ran all the way to the theatre so that I
wouldn't be late.

I'm going to walk to work from now on. It's healthier.

I arrived at the harbour just as the boat was leaving.

Once you arrive home, you are then at home and no
more direction is suggested, so at is then the appropriate
preposition to use with home:

Will you be athome tonight or are you going
out? ~ No, I'll be at home. ~ I'll pop round and see you
then.

However, even here, at is often omitted, especially in American
English.

No article with common nouns

Note that there are a number of common fixed expressions with prepositions
involving everyday time and place nouns where no article is required:

after school / at school / before school / from school /in school
to school

after university / at university / to university

in bed / out of bed / to bed

at home / from home / go home / leave home

after work / at work/ before work / from work / to/into work
/leave work

from town / in town / out of town/ to/into town

after breakfast* at breakfast* before breakfast* for breakfast*
to breakfast*

* OR: lunch, tea, dinner, supper

by bike/car/bus/taxi/tube/train/plane/boat - BUT on foot

More and more people work from home these days at
least one or two days per week.

I'm going into town this afternoon. Do you want me
to get you anything?

I find it difficult to get out of bed, but always
exercise for half an hour before breakfast, have fruit
juice and muesli for breakfast and then walk to work.

At school I studied biology, geography and English,
but at university I'm going to study psychology.

It's quicker on foot or by bike. It will take
you ages to get there if you go by car.

However, if you are referring to a specified breakfast, bed, school,
piece of work etc, the definite article will normally be required:

The bed I slept in last night was most uncomfortable.

The lunch you prepared this morning was delicious.

I'll meet you outside the school at eight thirty.

The work that you did on the Tudors was excellent.

The car you sold me for £500 is unreliable.

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